When are you not considered a newbie?

[Crustman]

Is there a time period involved here? I bought my tank in November. My equipment has really been upgraded since joining this forum. I have added a Vertex protein skimmer, Kent Phosphate reactor, Carbon reactor, Turbo sea High Pressure pump, pH meter and all new ATI, KZ and Giessman T-5 bulbs. I have added SPS, softies, LTA anemone and LPS corals along with a maxima and crocea clam. Also added fish, Coral Beauty, Yellowhead jawfish and now purple basslet. Dosing with Kalk and Kent Tech CB. All fish and corals are thriving but I lost my small maxima. I have algae problems but no hair algae. Don't test my water enough. Am I still a newbie? And thanks to every one here for all their help in this adventure.

 

[airdog67]

Ive had a reef system for 3 years and I still consider myself a newbie, lol

 

[chris4869]

Hi Crustman & airdog67. I'm a newbie too.

 

[jterrell]

Once a newbie, always a newbie. The more we learn the more we don't know.

 

[Crustman]

Hi Chris, how can you be a newbie with a Calcium reactor? You have to know your water chemistry to get this to work.

 

[chris4869]

I thought you just need money to get one. They didn't run a background check when I bought it. :lol:

 

[btb72]

imo i'll always be striving to learn more... hence i feel like i will always be a newbie, just a more knowledgeable newbie

 

[fishoutawater]

I think asking if you're still a newbie is a good indicator, that you are. I don't think I'll ever not be a newbie, way too much info to know all about everything reef.

 

[thegrun]

Little Guppy, you will no longer be a newbie when you can snatch this starfish from my hand!

 

[dwd5813]

many of the best reefers i've met or encountered online do and will continue to consider themselves newbies. the way i see it nobody knows it all, and therefore i figure that we are all different stages of newbie.

 

[spleify]

When are you not considered a newbie?

When you know EVERYTHING.......

......or....never.......lol. I think in some respect we will always be newbies

 

[Tswifty]

I thought when you hit 40,000 posts your RC account is automatically upgraded to "non-newbie" status?

 

[VacavilleFC3S]

i feel your not a newbie when you can explain things from a personal point of view and not just repeat what others say

 

[Saltliquid]

newbie

newbie

When you have made almost every mistake and learned from it,you are now not a newbie!

 

[agreeive?fish]

when you have the same amount of experience in fish keeping as mother nature does then you graduate to NON newbie status

 

[kraze3]

Youll see as you go on that you will always learn something new. You will always have to deal with something you havent dealt with before. Just when you think you got everything perfect, you dont. We are all newbies thats why we are constantly expirementing with our water, skimmers, LR, Lights, fish, etc. There will always be something for you to learn.

 

[djlindo2001]

Never....There will always be a subject that you are newbie on.

 

[ReefWreak]

I think you're still a noob until someone who you've looked up to all your years in reefing either asks you for advice or says that you're an experienced reefer.

Spending money on equipment and livestock definitely isn't an indicator of experience. Not having algae in your tank isn't a great indicator either, as I've see some INSANE SPS tanks with the rarest of the rarest corals, with really good growth and great colors, that was COVERED in bryopsis. Like mentioned before, the more you know, the more you realise you don't know anything about this hobby.

 

[jgln]

i feel your not a newbie when you can explain things from a personal point of view and not just repeat what others say. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[jgln]

Seriously though, I would like to think at some point you can classify someone as experienced as opposed new to the hobby. I understand there is always something to learn but I don't think you can always be called a newbie. I also think being able to successfully keep whatever you intend on keeping successfully is the first requirement of no longer being called a newbie. In this hobby that can take years. If I had to put a timeline on it I would say after a couple years you are not really new to the hobby but that does not make you an expert either.